This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On May 18, 2020, Ijara Member of Parliament Sophia Abdinoor expressed her concerns over the Ministry of Education's e-learning program, which she believes is insensitive to the needs of school-going children from poor family backgrounds.
The MP argued that the ministry's plan assumes all children have equal opportunities, creating two classes of education systems in the country. She pointed out that children in rural areas like Ijara lack access to essential tools such as laptops, internet, and electricity.
Abdinoor emphasized that the insistence on holding national examinations as scheduled is a clear indication that the government does not care about disadvantaged children in rural areas.
"There are places like Ijara where we don’t have laptops, there is no internet. The ministry of education must re-think of their plan and strategy on how to include disadvantaged children," Sophia said.
She added, "You cannot tell me that the child in rural Ijara will sit for the same exam with a child in Nairobi. We will not accept that. We are one country and the ministry must come up with a strategy for every place."
